Marcia Resnick and Victor Brockris

There was a time in New York's long history when there were no nail salons, condos, healthy or unhealthy places fast food places, artisanal cupcake shops now with cupcake ATMs, endless and overpriced coffee bistros, chain stores, high-end boutiques, $4000 rents on shoebox size apartments or million dollar luxury high-rises on every block (and of course no cell phones) - when there was grit, grime, crime, community, music in the streets, Quaaludes, cocaine, heroin, a real musical scene, art, and a lot of fun to be had-there existed a very alive underground scene to which young people would flock to get out of their suburban environments in which they could re-invent themselves. And unbeknownst to the rest of the world at the time (and for the moment, even to those participating in creating it), this blip in time would become a defining moment of great importance, not only in New York's celebrated artistic history, but in a way that would affect the entire culture.


Long gone by now, but thankfully to renowned photographer Marcia Resnick's ubiquitous documentation in her studio of those people who in retrospect made that scene, this bygone era has been captured and preserved in her newly-released book, Punks, Poets and Provocateurs, NYC Bad Boys. Complemented with accompanying commentary by writer Victor Bockris, this book brings back to life those years from 1977-1982, igniting our imaginations, reinvigorating our memories and reminiscences of that time when artists of all genres-the Beats, the Warhol Crowd, underground musicians, painters and poets--artists from all ethnic and demographic groups were expressing themselves with outlandish abandonment-converged to form an incredible and indelible community.


The scene was temporarily, albeit ephemerally rejuvenated at the book signing party held in conjunction with its release on November 10, 2015 at the Howl Happening Gallery at 6 East First Street, celebrating this definitive account of the underground music and art scene in New York-which arguably ended concurrently with the onset of the AIDS plague-the culmination of the hippie, punk and bohemian lifestyles. They say history repeats itself. But this one will be by far a very hard one to replicate or to even imitate.


As I entered the gallery uncharacteristically early, I was overwhelmed as there were already so many people in there "bumper to bumper." Smile after smiles were exchanged as old and dear friends met up once again, some after not having seen each other for decades, catching up in conversation and in life. One could barely finish a sentence before someone else you had known snuck up from behind to give you a kiss or a hug. With cameras and cell phones flashing nonstop, you knew you were at a truly important New York happening. Among those spotted (too many to mention here, to the many I missed my apologies) were Marc Miller, Richard Lloyd, Anthony Haden-Guest, Bob Gruen, Dustin Pittman David Godlis, Pat Ivers, Stephanie Chernikowski, John Espinosa, Ruby Lynn Reyner, Tony Zanetta, Michael Alago, Yvonne Sewell Ruskin, Elyn Wollenski, Anton Perich, Jim Fouratt, Claudia Summers, Leland Maurello, Jackie Rudin, Joey Zero, John Holstrom, Michael Alago, Choisei Funahara, Ed Coppola, Freddie Katz, Tommy and Jesse James Gunn and John Holstrom


In the back of the gallery, a continuous loop of Marcia's photos were projected including those subjects depicted in her book including cover boy John Belushi, Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Charles Ludlum, Johnny Thunders, Muhammad Ali, Abbie Hoffman, Norman Mailer, Jack Smith, Joey Ramone, Stiv Bators, Cheetah Chrome, David Byrne a nice teaser to her upcoming solo exhibition at at the Howl Happening Gallery February 3rd to March 2nd 2016.


To quote the depicted Mr. Thunders, "you can't put your arms around a memory". But for those of us who were there back in the day-and especially for those who weren't-the opportunity to relive it through Marcia Resnick's book of stunning portraits and images along with the moving and eloquent story-telling by Victor Bockris is unparalleled, bringing you back to that time by turning a blurry, grainy black-and-white newsreel into vivid high-definition color in your mind's eye. Mr. Bockris' speech towards the closing of the evening (well after every book had been bought) brought a hush to the cacophony as he put it all in context for all assembled as the book will for the many who followed these artists then as well as now and not necessarily on Facebook, Instagram and in their tweet dreams.


Ms. Resnick, dressed elegantly in her classic black outfit with that very distinctive beaming smile of hers and many-ringed fingers and Mr. Bockris, dapperly decked out in suit and signature bow tie sat at a table in the front of the gallery tirelessly greeting person after person accordingly, non-stop signing each book. There were dozens who left empty-handed as there were simply not enough for all who demanded a copy. So if you you haven't done so already, run do not walk and get thee on the internet or to your nearest Barnes and Noble and order yours. And while you're at it, this would make someone's holiday, birthday or any day a very happy one!


For me, the evening was a déjà vu of how I felt on those nights at Max's and CBGB's when, though you couldn't put your finger on it at the time, but you knew that there was something in the air at the time and in retrospect, that you had been at the epicenter of something unique while it was happening and that was the only place on the globe to be. Everyone seemed glowing, ecstatic (and not from anything they had ingested beyond the wine) caught up in simultaneous conversations, still fashionably garbed. One could not help but think they had stepped backwards into their youth-only the gray hair, balding heads and well-earned facial lines giving away their true age, each adding a new wrinkle of time telling a backstory of its own.













It did indeed evoke a stepping back into time past, but the vibe was still there and emanating out the door so that people merely passing by on the street had to poke their heads in to see what was going on. I also like to think that many of us were remembering our departed friends from those days, knowing they were somehow present too.


Marcia Resnick's photographs, although needing no explanation as they alone tell the story of the 70's and 80's NYC downtown scene and are only further illuminated by Victor Bockris' timely narrations in Punks, Poets and Provocateurs-whether you are reading from a nostalgic and knowing point-of-view or encountering the excitement of those times anew-come bursting forth through.


Sincere thanks to Brian Butterick, Jane Freidman in association with Howl Happening without who there would be no Howl Happening Gallery and Artistic Director Ted Riederer who has created an fantastically improbable space. They are not only reviving an era gone by for those of us who were there, but concurrently creating a new one for the rest of us, fresh and hopeful.

Hi Marcia I just have a few questions for you. First Punks, Poets, and Provocateurs seems like the culmination of your life and work. Approximately how long was the actual making on the book? Did you and Mr. Bockris always have this book in your mind ? How long did you come together to build it ? And if not, how was it that you two came together to build it ?

The photographs were taken during the period 1977-1982. When I was taking the photos, I was always thinking of a book. Everyone was told I was doing their portrait for "Bad Boys," which was my working title for the series. In 1982, John Belushi died, the Soho Weekly News stopped publishing and people started to die of Aids, which put a damper on nightlife in general. People became paranoid and the fluid sexual freedom of those who lived for the night shut down.

I was still taking photos but I put the "Bad Boys" series away. I showed and published some of the work in the decades to follow. It wasn't until about 2010 that I started to put the book together with the help of my sister Janice Hahn who is a graphic designer. At that point, I asked Victor Bockris, who had been a friend since 1977 and who had originally introduced me to Andy Warhol and William Burroughs and the Beats, to provide the written pieces for the book. We decided to include writing by other people also, including John Waters, Richard Hell, Max Blagg, Gary Indiana, Liz Derringer and Roy Trakin. The texts reflect the imagery which were all created during the same years. I wrote a preface and a piece about how a trip to Egypt in 1977 motivated me to photograph "dangerous" men who lived on the edge. Anthony Haden-Guest wrote the Afterword.


I know that there were many struggles with the publisher about the final graphic design of the book. Are both you and your sister Janice Hahn, who originally designed the book, happy with the out come ?

I think the book is beautifully produced.


Cannot argue with that one I certainly think it gorgeous.. In one word could you define what Punks, Poets and Provocateurs are?

I believe all of the people in the book are "enfant terribles."


In the book it seems like you are trying to understand the male dominant society. Has creating this book satisfied your curiosity about it?

I have not come to any earth-shattering conclusions about the relationship between men and women. I do believe there is a difference between how men and women view the world, between how men see women, how women see men, how men see men and how women see women. And my curiosity about all of this will never be satisfied.


Well thank you very much Marcia and as soon as I get home I am delving right into the book .

You are very welcome Ricky thank you and Punk Globe.